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Malcolm Tucker, Nicola Murray and the team will return to The Thick Of It – but as the opposition

Armando Iannucci ‘s hit political comedy will be back for seven half-hour episodes in the first series since 2009 – and the first since the Tory-led coalition came to power.

The new series will reflect this new state of affairs, with Peter Mannion (Roger Allam) set to become the new secretary of state for social affairs and citizenship.

Mannion is also set to clash with his junior minister Fergus Williams, played by former Spooks star Geoffrey Streatfield.

Former DoSAC chief Nicola Murray (Rebecca Front) will be dealing with the challenges of opposition government – helped by foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi).

Creator Iannucci has already revealed that the series will feature a Leveson-style inquiry, with the series set to feature more of a story arc than previously.

Peter Mannion (Roger Allam, centre) will be in government for the first time (Picture: BBC)

He said last month: ‘There’s a new government, it’s in coalition, our previous cast are in opposition and we go backwards and forwards between the two.

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There’s more of a story arc to it now, even though each episode is self-contained, and in the last three episodes everything comes together.’

Mark Freeland, the BBC’s head of comedy, said of The Thick Of It’s return: ‘I’m excited to see The Thick Of It return to our screens.

‘With an outstanding cast and team, it is still at the bleeding edge of British politics, one of the freshest and most biting satires you’ll find on TV. No other show could coin the term “Omnishambles” and see it become part of the political lexicon.’

Iannucci added: ‘This series takes The Thick of It into exciting and uncharted territory: a new coalition government, and Malcolm and Nicola fretting in the wings.

‘For the first time too a storyline takes us all the way through the series right to the bitter, bitter end, with government and opposition convulsed in an incident that questions every political convention imaginable, but in a funny way.’